


The Climb

by AXEe



Category: The Orville (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gen, I Will Go Down With This Ship, One Shot, Random & Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:39:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27510121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AXEe/pseuds/AXEe
Summary: Let me know what you thought :=)
Relationships: Alara Kitan/Ed Mercer
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	The Climb

******

The forest was cool, the air filled with sweet, floral scents. Looking up, Ed could see the planet’s three moons up above. Ordinarily, he’d enjoy this little impromptu hike, really he would especially given who was his companion on this hike, but considering that the hike ended in a nearly vertical climb up a cliff he wasn’t having fun.

“Who the hell builds a research station without building a way to it?” he grumbled.

“I don’t know, it’s kind of nice” Alara remarked from a few feet behind him.

“Yeah, well, you’re a super-strong Xeyalan,” he grumbled “I’m not”

Smirking as she came alongside him, she just shook her head.

“Baby” she teased.

“Yeah, but I’m _your_ baby” he shot back.

Ducking her head shyly, she playfully bumped her shoulder into his.

“Race you?” she grinned, then bolted off, kicking off the ground to gracefully sail at least a dozen feet ahead, to land in a puff of dust.

“Showoff,” Ed grumbled, quickly jogging ahead to join her as they stared at the cliff face before them. Looking around, Ed couldn’t see any other way up, no escalators, no stairs, nothing.

“OK, now what?” he wondered.

“Well, I could carry you,” Alara suggested “you know, piggyback” she shrugged.

Ed considered it, not exactly dignified, but it was better than climbing halfway up to fall and crack his head open.

“Yeah, OK,” he nodded. Coming to stand behind her, he looped his arms around her neck and shoulders, grunting in surprise as she reached back, gripping the back his thighs and suddenly hoisting him up “hey!”

“Sorry,” she apologized “you OK?”

“Yeah, just warn a guy next time”

“You weren’t complaining last night” she teased.

“Yeah that was last night”

“OK,” she began “now, I could either climb up, _or_ jump up”

“Which one’s quicker?”

“Jumping,” she answered “but I could land too hard and injure you” she warned.

“Look, I just want to get this over with” Ed sighed.

Alara sighed.

“OK” she replied dubiously. Taking a few steps back, she assessed the rock face, then, tugging Ed’s legs tighter around her waist; she took off at a sprint, kicking off the ground to shoot straight up into the air. Clearing the rock face, she kicked her legs, angling herself forwards to land in an awkward crouch, wobbling, before tumbling over, she and Ed flopping over in a sprawl.

“Ed? You OK?”

“Yep,” he answered “next time I suggest something that stupid, hit me” he added as they both got to their feet.

“Ed?”

They both turned at the voice, seeing Kelly approaching them.

“What’s going on?” she asked, looking between them.

“We were getting past that big cliff,” Ed explained, dusting himself off “how’d you get here before us?”

Kelly pointed behind her.

“I took the stairs” she said.

Alara and Ed looked between each other.

“What…stairs?” they both asked.

Kelly stared at them, scowling as a loud guffaw of laughter came from the station, one of the scientists howling with laughter.

“Hey, that’s the guy who gave us…directions” Alara said slowly, trailing off into an exasperated groan.

“Eh, let it go,” Ed told her with a shrug “we’re here now, and we got a nice free walk out of it” he reminded her.

“Yeah” she grinned.

“Well, glad to see that you’re so calm about it,” Kelly scowled, turning and marching towards the prankster “hey!” she hollered out, the prankster bolting as soon as he saw her, Kelly giving chase.

“Think he’ll be OK?” Alara wondered.

“I think so,” Ed nodded “she won’t hurt him too much” he grinned. Playfully bumping his shoulder into hers, he looped his arm with hers, tugging her along in a lazy walk towards the research station…

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought :=)


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